Tell Catholic bishopsAmerican Christians stand with Pope Francis for a welcoming church

Posted: Oct. 16, 2014

Pope Francis has called the world's top Catholic bishops together for a meeting on faith and family, and the draft document they've produced is reverberating across the globe.

Instead of repeating hurtful language describing LGBT people as "intrinsically disordered," the bishops are considering recognizing the spiritual gifts and sacrificial love of same-sex couples, and calling for them to be more fully welcomed into the church.

But already, right-wing American activists are trying to force the bishops to backtrack. Even before the document was released, prominent evangelicals and conservative Catholics sent a letter to Pope Francis urging him to double-down on culture-war politics instead of reconsidering the church's pastoral practices.

Now one right-wing Catholic organization has labeled the document "a betrayal," and one of the highest-ranking Americans serving in the Vatican has said that "faithful shepherds of the flock cannot accept" it.

With just days left before the bishops conclude their meeting and finalize the document, there are worrying media reports that conservatives could succeed in watering it down. So American Christians of all stripes who stand with Pope Francis need to speak out in support.

Sign the petition:

As American Christians inspired by Pope Francis' vision for a more welcoming church, we applaud the bold new language in the draft "relatio post disceptationem" concerning LGBT people and their relationships. The Synod Fathers should stand strong in the face of right-wing criticism.